The mystery of the Great pyramid : traditions concerning it and its connection with the Egyptian Book of the dead : with numerous illustrations

MYSTERY OF THE GREAT PYRAMID

satisfactorily explain the constant change, both in size and direction, of its passages and chambers, the steep upward slope and exceedingly cramped space of the First Ascending passage, for example, rendering the conveyance of a coffin and body along it an extremely difficult task unless use was made of mechanical assistance. What, also, would be the object of suddenly enlarging this passage into the imposing height of the Grand Gallery, which is as high as a modern two-storied house, and much more lofty than any of the chambers to which it gives access ? A comparison, however, of the Great Pyramid’s passages and chambers with those of the allegorical Pyramid of the Book of the Dead does afford a reason for these peculiar characteristics.

Further, from the constructional point of view, there is a still stronger objection to the exclusive tombic theory still held by nearly all Egyptologists. This lies in the fact that the Great Pyramid has been set out with extraordinary astronomical precision, the reasons for which we have given in our other volume. Now it is not very obvious why any building, unless it was to serve some astronomical or other definite time-recording purpose, should be set out thus, while no reason could be imagined at all as to why a tomb should have such a position. A temple devoted to sun worship or to the worship of the stars might perhaps be set out on sucha principle. But the form of the pyramids is obviously quite unsuited for the ordinary requirements of a temple of worship or for accommodating crowds of worshippers. The temple theory is as untenable as the tombic theory.

The fact that all other pyramids are—though with varying precision—like the Great Pyramid, set out so that their sides face the four cardinal points of the compass, is simply another instance (like that of the single descending

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